John Munson/The Star-LedgerAustin Howard fared well in his start Sunday night against the Panthers.

Rex Ryan 'assumes' Austin Howard will be opening-day starting right tackleOn Monday night, the Jets announced a trade that sent 2011 starting right tackle Wayne Hunter to St. Louis for tackle Jason Smith. Tuesday, Jets coach Rex Ryan stopped short of declaring former backup Austin Howard the team's new starter, but said he "assumes" Howard will be. (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger)

Rex Ryan stopped short of declaring Austin Howard the Jets' opening-day starting right tackle. But the Jets coach indicated that will be the case.

"Unless (there's) something I'm not seeing out there, I've been plased with Austin, without question," Ryan said today. "And I would assume he would be our starting tackle."

Ryan preferred not to speak about the trade until 4 p.m., when it becomes official. Hunter is in St. Louis for his physical today, and Smith was taking his physical in Florham Park this morning, Ryan said.

The Jets' plan was to keep Howard at the starting right tackle spot and use Smith in the jumbo tight end role. Ryan kept the door open a crack about Howard's starting spot, reverting to a joke he used last week.

"Like I said before, if (former Ravens tackle) Jonathan Ogden calls, Jonathan will be (our starter). But I feel good about Austin," Ryan said.

He explained his resistance to saying with certainty that Howard will be the starter, adding, "Last time I said something and it never worked out, something happened."

Howard fared well in Sunday's start against the Panthers, holding up against Carolina defensive end Charles Johnson.

"I feel pretty good about Austin. I thought he had a good game," Ryan said. "He’s had two really good games, and a third one against the Giants wasn’t quite as good, but it was still OK. But I feel good about how he played, especially against Cincinnati and Carolina. Both those games he played well in, I thought."